If Yuvraj Singh, Chris Gayle win 2-3 games for KXIP, the investment will be justified: Virender Sehwag

KXIP did have their opportunity at picking the best of players at each year's auction, but the return showed nil. However, mentor Virender Sehwag reckons that if swashbuckling southpaws Chris Gayle and Yuvraj Singh can help the franchise script even a couple of victories, their money will be worth it.

File image of Virender Sehwag&nbsp | &nbspPhoto Credit:&nbspPTI

New Delhi: It has been a sweet 10 years of a journey down the path for Indian Premier League (IPL). Since their establishment in 2008, and under nine different leaders, Kings XI Punjab have failed to experience the IPL glory. Their closest run to the trophy was in 2014 when they finished runners-up in the cash-rich league. Since then, they have finished bottom of the table twice. KXIP did have their opportunity at picking the best of players at each year's auction, but the return showed nil. However, mentor Virender Sehwag reckons that if swashbuckling southpaws Chris Gayle and Yuvraj Singh can help the franchise script even a couple of victories, their money will be worth it.

'Gayle storm' is the name given to that daunting Jamaican force that truly has the ability to single-handedly uproot its opponent. Yet, Gayle went unsold, twice, at the mega IPL auctions in January this year, before KXIP roped him in at the base price of INR 2 crores. For Yuvraj (also base price INR 2 crores), no other franchise raised the pedal to bid for the 2007 World T20 winning player. Ergo, one can clearly assume that they are no longer the match winners that they once were considered to be. And Sehwag isn't complaining a bit about that.

"It is great that they have come to us at their base price. It is surely a bargain. Who knows if there were more bidders, they could have gone as high as USD 1 million. They are big names and match winners, even if they win two-three games for us, we would get the return on investment," Sehwag told PTI during an interview on the sidelines of KXIP's jersey launch here today.

While Yuvraj will certainly make it to the playing XI of the KXIP, at least for the first few games, for Gayle, there is no an assurance. Mayank Agarwal and Aaron Finch will likely form the opening combination of the Punjab-based franchise, although the West Indian will play the opener owing to the absence of the Aussie for personal reasons.

"Finch is not available for the first game so most likely Gayle will play in his place. So the opening game is not a problem but we have a big headache after that. We will all sit together and take the call. I believe Finch is such a player that he can play anywhere," said Sehwag.

The former Indian opener is also bullish on the team's chances to win its maiden trophy this season.

"The kind of team we have this year, we can win the championship. We have spent a lot of money on some of the players, so hopefully they will do the job. This surely is the best KXIP team in the last 10 years."

The team was short on quality Indian players earlier but this time it is loaded with them. Ravichandran Ashwin will captain the squad comprising Axar Patel, Karun Nair, KL Rahul, Barinder Sran, Mohit Sharma and the in-form Agarwal.

"Last few years, our Indian players were not that good except Wriddhiman Saha and Axar Patel. That was one gap. If you want to win the IPL, you have to have good Indian players. We have four to five of them this time.

"We were also struggling with Indian batting line up which could hold the innings together. Guys like Rahul, Nair and Manoj Tiwary can hold the middle order. The we have have explosive openers in Gayle and Finch, and down the order we have David Miller. Hopefully, they will do well against spinners," said Sehwag.

The Ashwin-led spin department looks solid too but there is not much experience in the pace department. Australia's Andrew Tye leads the pace attack in the company of Sran, Sharma and UP's Ankit Rajpoot.

Sehwag doesn't see inexperience as an issue.

"We don't have an experienced bowling line-up but we have very good one. I am sure Ashwin will bring the best out of them."

Having a bowler as captain is also a big positive, according to Sehwag.

"I have always felt a bowler-captain can win you more games. If 8, 10 or 15 runs are needed in the final over, only bowler can you win that game.

"The way a bowler-captain thinks, he can also help other bowlers on the field. That is why I am a great fan of Kapil Dev, Imran Khan and Wasim Akram, who all made great captains," Sehwag added.

If Yuvraj Singh, Chris Gayle win 2-3 games for KXIP, the investment will be justified: Virender SehwagDescription:KXIP did have their opportunity at picking the best of players at each year's auction, but the return showed nil. However, mentor Virender Sehwag reckons that if swashbuckling southpaws Chris Gayle and Yuvraj Singh can help the franchise script even a couple of victories, their money will be worth it. Times Now